I realised in my early 20’s I turned into a dick when I drank and once I had a couple I couldn’t stop so I moved over to weed. For 15-18 years all seemed fine with just a few rare drunken bumps in the road. However, when I ran out of weed I would drink straight vodka but it was rare I ran out of weed so it wasn’t an issue for me at the time. At some point which I won’t go into my life changed and I couldn’t get hold of weed. This is when I started drinking in earnest, took a few years to get really bad but I needed something and bad it got!
I went to rehab at 44 due to alcohol, whilst there I came to the realisation I had been an addict for years. I had only been drinking problematically for 5 years but I had smoked weed for 20.
My take from all this is regardless of the substance, if you need to do or take something to get through the day then doesn’t matter if it is weed, alcohol, crispy creme donuts, sex, gambling or shopping.
Personally I would not recommend swapping alcohol for weed, been there, done that and realise it’s just masking the real issue.
Real freedom, real change and real happiness came from tackling the reason I felt I needed to take anything at all.
Hope this helps xx